On A7 motorwayStafelter tunnel restrictions lifted, repairs continue in Grouft

Restrictions in the Stafelter tunnel on the A7 will be lifted overnight into Tuesday, according to a press release issued on Monday by the National Roads Administration.

Since the end of January, the overtaking lane had been closed and the speed limit reduced to 70km/h in both the Stafelter and Grouft tunnels due to ventilation issues. The National Roads Administration has now confirmed that these measures will at least be lifted in the Stafelter tunnel overnight into Tuesday.

The issue was initially identified in the Grouft tunnel, where faults were found in the ventilation system. As a precaution, similar safety measures had also been introduced in the Stafelter tunnel, as comparable equipment is installed there. However, following additional tests and analyses, the National Roads Administration has concluded that there is no damage in the Stafelter tunnel, meaning that repair work is only required in the Grouft tunnel.

According to the National Roads Administration, the ventilation systems in the Grouft tunnel contain different internal components. Replacement parts have now been ordered for all 32 ventilation units.

Patience required until early August

These parts are expected to be delivered in July, with the Grouft tunnel set to return to normal traffic conditions at the beginning of August.

The National Roads Administration stated that the issue concerns fan blades rather than wear-and-tear components. A full replacement of the ventilation system, or switching to different models, would require a redesign of the entire tunnel ventilation concept, involving time-consuming studies, they stated in the press release.

The National Roads Administration also stressed that the issue was detected during routine maintenance and did not cause any disruption to normal traffic conditions.

In addition to lane closures and the reduced speed limit, the ventilation concept had also been adjusted as a precaution, the National Roads Administration explains. Regarding the cost of the repair works, the National Roads Administration stated that this cannot yet be determined.